Pedal-action for pianos.



No. 792,203. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. J. DIERDORP.

PEDAL ACTION FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.16, 1901. RENEWED nov.21.19o4.

WITNESSES INVENTOR- oi fl. Wm 3 flwrdorzj UNITED STATES Patented June 13, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

PEDAL-ACTION FOR PIANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 792,203, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed December 16, 1901. Renewed November 21, 1904. Serial No. 233,694.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN DIERDORF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal-Actions for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and useful invention for pedal-actions for pianos, one in which simplicity in construction and durability are the chief features.

The object consists, further, in providing an action which can be readily placed into position or taken out.

The construction and arrangements of the several parts will be hereinafter more particularly described and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a art hereof, and on which similar numerals 0 reference indicate similar arts, Figure 1 is a fragmentary detail of the ower section of a piano and shows my improved pedal-action in operating position. Fig. 2 is a lan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in plan of the rear end of a pedal and shows the manner in which it is pivotally secured to the pianoframe. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical sec tion of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail in ers ective of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an under si e p an view of the lower plate that forms the pivotal bearing for the edal. Fig.

7 is a perspective of the leaf-spring relieved of its surrounding connections, and Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the bar and shows the leg which forms the fulcrum therefor in elevation.

In the drawings, 1 re resents the pianoframe, which may be of the ordinary construction, only so much of the frame being shown as is necessary to illustrate my invention therewith, and 2 is the floor thereof.

3 represents the pedals, which. have their rear slotted. The extended arms formed by the slots in the edals carry a transverse pin 4. A plate 5, having its front end slotted, carries a transverse groove 6 in the extended arms formed by the slot therein. The said groove forms a seat for the transverse pin 4 in the pedals. The plate 5 is secured to the floor 2 by means of the inte ral and conical spurs 7 on the under side thereof, the said pins 7 being driven into the floor. in the front end of the plate 5 is sufficiently wide to admit the pedal and prevents any lateral movement thereof. A transverse groove 20 near the rear end of the plate 5 receives the rib 10 on the uqper plate 8, all of which will be hereinafter escribed.

Overlying the plate 5 is a second plate 8, which plate is shouldered at one end and forms the extended nose 9. The nose 9 is cut to register with the slot in the end of the pedal and bears on the transverse pin 4. This construction insures a secure fastening for the pedal, and while the pedal has a free and unobstructed vertical movement it prevents lateral play thereof. Now, to prevent any lateral play of the plate 8, which might bind the pedal and retard a free movement thereof, I form the rib 10, which engages with the groove 20 in the plate 5. The plate 8 has an aperture through which the screw 11 passes. It will be seen by examining Fig. 4. that the screw 11 passes through the slot in the plate 5, and therefore has no direct connection with said plate aside from the pressure it exerts thereon when said screw is driven into the floor 2. With this construction I rocure the rec uisite tension and an abso ute security for the pedals.

Extending from the central portion of the pedal in a vertical manner are the rods 12, which engage with the horizontal beams 13. The beams 13 are common in all. upright pianos and extend from the central portion to the ends thereof. The beams 13 are slotted at both ends. The outer ends receive the damper-rods 14, while the inner ends receive the rods 12, which connect the beams with the pedals. While the damper-rods 14 are old and well known, the object of this invention consists in the construction herein shown for the operation of the said rods.

Secured to the beams 13 are the integral legs 15, which legs form the fulcrum for the beams. The legs 15 carry pins 16, which extend into wedgeshaped slots in the floor 2.

The slot The wedge formation of the slots allows os cillatory movement of the beams 13. An L.- shaped spring 17 is secured to the leg 15 by the screw 18. As shown in Fig. 7, the horizontal extension of the spring carries a slot through which the screw 19 passes. The screw 19 is driven into the floor, and the drawing or driving said screw regulates the tension on the beams 13. The slot formation in the spring also serves the purpose of allowing the beams 13 to be wit drawn or disconnected from the screw. In fact, by raising a pedal I can disconnect the rod 12 and then withdraw the beam, for, as before stated, the spring is slotted, while the outer end of the beam is slotted, which allows its withdrawal from the damper-rod 14.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combi nation with the main piano-body, beams mounted therein which extend from the central portion of said body to the ends thereof, legs integral with the beams which form the fulcrums therefor, pins in the ends of the legs which form the pivotal contact therefor, L-shaped springs secured to the legs, slots in the outer ends of the springs, screws adapted to pass through the said slots and into the floor of the piano, slots in the outer ends of the beams which receive the vertical damper-rods, slots in the inner ends of the beams which receive the vertical rods which connect the beams with the pedals, substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, pedals having their rear ends slotted, the extended ends of the pedals carrying the transverse pins, plates secured to the floor of the pianobody by means of spurs on the underside thereof, the said plates having their front ends slotted, the said slots adapted to receive the rear ends of the pedals, the extended arms of said plates having the transverse groove which forms the bearings for the transverse pins in the pedals, transverse grooves20 near the rear ends of the plates 5, the integral ribs 10 on the plates 8 adapted to engage with the grooves 20, secondary plates 8 overlying the plates 5, one end of the lates terminating into a nose which projects lnto the slotted ends of the pedals and resting on the transverse pins 4, screws adapted to pass through a ertures in the plates 8, whereby a means or pivotally securing the pedals to the piano-frame is procured, substantially as shown'and for the purposes setforth.

3. In a pedal-action for pianos, in combination with the main piano-body, beams mounted therein which extend from the central portion to the ends of the piano-body, rigidly-formed legs on the beams which provide the fulcrums therefor, L-shaped springs secured to the legs, the outer ends of the s rings having slots, screws adapted to ass t rough said slots and into the pianooor, whereby a means for exerting and maintaining a tension on the beams is procured, slots in the outer ends of the beams, verticaldamper-rods mounted in the ends of the pianoframe that engage with the slots in the outer ends of the beams, slots in the inner ends of the beams, vertical screw-rods connecting with the inner slotted ends of the beams and the pedals, whereby a means for actuating the damper-rods is procured, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of October, A. D. 1901.

JOHN DIERDORF. 

